To Imbue A Soul
by Lady ElfDragon
Summary: [Being REDONE] A girl with faded memories attempts to revive the past with only a face and a name to guide her. Her discovery will affect everything that ever was and everything that ever will be... When you Imbue a soul you change the fate of the world..
1. Intro

**Welcome one and all to my fic :) Thank you all for clicking on it and I hope that you will be very nice and read it too. And tell me how I'm going in a review. :)**

**Well anyway, this is my um…second fic, but it's my first attempt at ANY kind of anime, and my first was one about Lord Of The Rings. So if you like LOTR, you can go read it if you want.**

**Anyone who wants to know some background info on the storyline is just out of luck, because I make up my fics as I go along, which makes them better, I reckon. But then again, I'm not one to judge, since I'm only the author not the reader/s, so read and tell me what you think.**

**I am gradually collecting the English dubs of InuYasha and so the chappies will be updated once I've written the chap to go with the episode.**

**On with the show! Story! Fanfic!**

**Disclaimer: _For some unfortunate reason I was not born early enough nor in the right country to come up with the great masterpiece of InuYasha, so I do not own it. However, I do claim any original characters created by me, SO DON'T NICK 'EM!_**

_To Imbue A Soul_

Episode 1: The half-demon and the Priestess

.oOo.

On the edge of a village a young woman knelt, gathering healing herbs for the sick that she cared for. A sharp breeze whipped her long black hair about her face and she straightened, gazing sharply at the forest that lay not a hundred paces from where she now stood.

"What is it, Priestess?" one of the village men with her asked.

"I sense a danger approaching," she said without moving from her position. "Fetch me my quiver and bow."

"Aye milady," the man said, reverencing slightly and racing off to do as she asked. When he returned, the woman took what he gave her and started off determinedly towards the trees and into the forest.

"Priestess!" The man called, and she halted a few steps from the forest's edge. "Will ye be needing assistance?"

She glanced back. "Ready a dozen men and follow after me, but I do not think I will need your help."

The villager nodded and returned to the village to relay her orders. The Priestess continued on her way and vanished into the shadows of the trees.

After walking a way through them she entered a clearing and strung her bow, notching an arrow but keeping her weapon loose by her side. Around her, the forest was unusually silent and the woman kept a sharp lookout for any sign of the danger she had sensed.

Suddenly the sound of running footsteps came to her ears from her right, too fast to be human. She raised her bow, aimed at the sound and drew the string back to her ear. A small figure leapt from the shadows and landed on the other side of the clearing in a crouch, with its raven-black hair hiding its face. A bold streak of silver-blue stood out from the figure's bangs.

"What manner of creature are you?" The woman asked in spite of herself.

"Me?" the figure growled softly. "I ain't no demon, if tha's what ye're askin'."

Then it looked up directly at the woman, its disturbingly bright violet eyes filled with a tangle of emotions, though an angry grief was the one allowed to show.

And the figure was that of a beautiful young girl.

Hiding her surprise easily through a great expectancy for the unusual, the woman raised her bow so the arrow pointed to the other's heart.

"You must be a demon," she said sharply. "You move swiftly and your eyes are not humane."

"Me hair ain't normal neither," the girl added, standing and flicking back the sliver of unusual coloured hair from her face and straightening the tattered pale cloth that made up her kimono. "But I never came here searchin' for descriptions on me looks. I came here for – "

"I know what you are here for," the woman said coldly. "You want possession of the Shikon no Tama."

"Aye," the girl said. When she spoke, the tips of pointed fangs were visible. "I wish it for me to become – "

"More powerful?" the Priestess asked, with the same cold tone. "By the looks of you, you obviously need all the power you can get."

Anger flared in the girl's violet eyes, then abruptly dimmed back to their former sadness.

"Ye don' know nothin' about me, Priestess," she said quietly. "And I don' know much about ye. But I do know this: ye hesitate to let yer arrow fly."

She stared at the woman's face.

"Are ye scared?" she sneered. "Ye must be – I can smell yer fear from here."

"I am never afraid to do ill to a demon!" the woman shouted and let loose her arrow. There was a dull thud and the girl was pinned to a tree behind her. She looked down to see the woman's arrow protruding from her chest then returned her gaze to the Priestess with expressionless eyes.

"Wha' will it do to me?" the girl asked calmly.

"My sacred arrow will purify your demonic powers – however few they are," the woman stated. "At the end of the purification you will be nothing but an empty husk of what you were."

"And I suppose ye feel no regret?" the girl asked slowly, accepting her fate.

"None for a demon," the Priestess confirmed. The girl smiled without mirth.

"Haven' I told ye that I'm no demon?" she asked the woman, hissing with suppressed pain.

"That what are you?" the Priestess asked smugly.

They both knew that the girl was dying.

"Me blood is half kin to yers, Priestess," the girl hissed, her violet eyes dimming. "And ye would name me a half-breed."

The woman stared at the girl in silence, trying to fathom what she had done. It was one thing to kill a full-blooded demon, but another to kill a half-demon with human blood. Blood that ran through your own veins.

"Milady!"

The woman spun to face the trees behind her as a group of men from the village came bursting into the clearing with their bows strung and their arrows drawn.

"I thank you for your aid," the Priestess told them, smiling. "But as you see this demon is of no harm to anyone. You may go."

The men looked puzzled, but did as she asked. They left one small girl behind them, who stood still, staring at the girl pinned to the tree.

"I did not see you, Kaede," the Priestess said gently.

"Who is she, big sister?" the child asked curiously. The Priestess gave a dismissing gesture with her hand.

"She is another unimportant demon who craves the Sacred Jewel to gain power," she told her sibling.

"Ye're wrong," the half-demon said, growling slightly, her eyes dull and her breath halting. "If ye weren'…so quick to…judge…then ye'd've known…that I wan'…to become…human."

"You lie!" the Priestess hissed.

"I ain't never lie," the girl gasped. "And I ain't gonna die…at yer hands, _Kikyo_."

The last word was spat out and the Priestess Kikyo stepped in front of her sister as if to shield her from the girl's malice. 

"My sister's arrow never fails!" Kaede called out in a shrill tone.

"Maybe it…hasn't, ever," the half-demon replied, raising her arms shakily to the sky. Suddenly she looked straight a Kikyo, her breathlessness forgotten. "But it will, now. Remember this face, Kikyo, for the next half-breed ye meet ye will not be able to kill so easily."

Kikyo swiftly drew another arrow and pointed it at the girl's heart.

"It don't matter – ye're too late, Priestess," the half-demon said coldly. "_Mizu!_"

The word echoed around them and the two sisters watched in surprise as a shimmering sheet of blue appeared out of nowhere and encased the girl and the arrow that her heart held. Her eyes closed and she was as still as the dead, her arms by her sides and her face wearing a peaceful expression.

"What has happened?" Kaede asked after a long silence. Her sister stiffened as the child walked towards the half-demon, who was glowing with an eerie light. Kaede reached out a hand towards the still form of the girl.

"Kaede! No!" Kikyo cried out. But her younger sister had already placed her fingertips upon the blue substance surrounding the girl.

"It's cold," she said in wonder. Hesitantly, the Priestess touched the barrier the girl had erected about herself, and drew in a sharp breath.

"It's ice," she said. The half-demon girl had sealed herself in frozen water, suspending herself in time so she would not die from the arrow.

"She has more power than I first thought," Kikyo added softly. "Kaede! Call the village men back! We will need to carry her to a place of rest."

"But big sister, is she not dead?" Kaede asked.

"No," her sister said. "She has put herself into an eternal slumber, and will not wake until my arrow has been removed from her body. As she has sealed both it and herself inside a shield of ice, that will be unlikely."

Unstringing her bow, and placing the unused arrow in her quiver, she walked towards the edge of the clearing and into the shadows without a glance back.

Her younger sister's gaze lingered on the girl's calm face, which held a small smile, as if she was laughing at the Priestess's retreating back. It was so unlike her sad expression in life. Kaede gave the still girl a small smile of her own, before following her sister's path back to the village.

In the clearing, the half-demon's slow heartbeat sounded in the silence.

**There you have it! My first chappie for an InuYasha fic ever! I feel so proud! Oh, and Kikyo's attempted sealing away of the half-demon girl happened before she met InuYasha. I'm saying that just in case anyone's confused.**

**Just a few things to note: If anyone has any questions, send me a review, and I'll be happy to answer. And if you think it needs any improvements, tell me in a review and I'll change it. I'm always happy to do anything for readers that review. Also, do the chapters need to be longer? Or shorter? Or the same size? Please tell me.**

**Oh yeah! If you haven't guessed it yet, the half-demon-who-froze-herself-to-stop-damn-Kikyo-killing-her is obviously a main focus in this fic, as well as InuYasha and Kagome and all the other characters of the super-cool anime: INUYASHA:)**

**Well, until next time! Please review!**

**Lady ElfDragon :)**


	2. The new girl

**Wow. How long's it been? Weeks? Centuries? Anyways, I think that I might've had a block halfway through this chapter. I dunno. Can't remember…**

**Well, the only thing I have to say at the moment is here's the second chappie! And thank you to: Elo, Lintered, sangoscourage & Kat for reviewing:)**

**Disclaimer: _Everyone knows that InuYasha does not belong to me so I have no to claim to it. I can only wish… I do own Yousu though._**

_To Imbue A Soul_

Chapter 2: The new girl...

.oOo.

"Come on Kagome!"

The black-haired girl heard her name being called and ran past the school gates towards the bus. After giving a quick, innocent smile to her frowning history teacher, she raced up the center aisle and slumped down in the seat her friends had saved for her – she was completely exhausted.

"Hi Ayumi! Hi Yuka! Hi Eri!" she said brightly albeit a bit out of breath. "I can't believe I slept through my alarm clock and had to run the whole way to school!"

"Kagome, you nearly missed this field trip to the museum!" Yuka scolded.

"I'm here aren't I?" Kagome asked. "And you _could_ show a little sympathy."

"Oh stop complaining," Eri said, shaking her head. "Just be thankful we don't have to do work today."

.oOo.

When the bus halted outside the museum doors, all the students raced out and crowded around the entrance.

"Remember to take notes!" the flustered teacher called as her class greeted the doorman quickly before racing inside.

"And someone said we didn't have to work today," Yuka muttered, making Eri scowl.

"What's our topic?" Kagome asked Ayumi as the rush of students died down. Her friend shrugged.

"Uh…mummification," Eri answered for her, making a face. Yuka and Ayumi groaned in unison.

"Why do we always get the gross things?" Kagome asked no one in particular, looking around for directions. "This way!"

Her friends raced after her. They all skidded to a halt in front of the Ancient Egypt section.

"Do we have to do this?" Ayumi asked quietly.

"Yep," Eri said then turned to her friend. "You're not _scared_ are you?"

"No way!" Ayumi stated indignantly. "Just a bit grossed out."

Her friend's conversation faded and Kagome entered the display and walked over to one of the open glass cases. She stared at what was inside.

"Kagome?" Yuka asked, making her jump. "What'd you find…?"

Eri and Ayumi came to stand behind Kagome and stared into the case as well. The plaque read:

_Not from Egypt, this discovery is just as fascinating. This young female was discovered near the Higurashi shrine, completely embalmed in a substance similar to frozen water. Unlike other mummifications, she seems to have fully retained her natural physical state. She is a bemusing subject for study and has baffled every person to have examined her to every extent possible. The arrow protruding from her chest indicates that she may have been struck down in battle, but from whence the ice came from, not one person has been able to determine. Attempts have been made to melt the ice about her, but to no avail. She remains a mystery to everyone but herself…_

"How eerie," Ayumi said, shuddering.

"She_ is_ cool though," Eri added, "but if she's not from Egypt, we can't study her. Come on."

Kagome glanced at the girl, and saw her to be faintly smiling in her nest of tangled black hair. _That's weird,_ she thought. _Someone who was killed with an arrow shouldn't be _smiling.

Throughout the rest of the morning as she gathered information for her assignment, Kagome kept glancing back to the glass case, continually feeling like she was being watched.

Lunch came, and they left the display room to eat with the rest of their class.

.oOo.

"What is up with you Kagome?" Yuka asked, just as they were about to finish their notes and leave for the bus.

"Oh nothing…" Kagome glanced towards the frozen girl. Her friends followed her gaze and Eri smiled slyly.

"I bet you're scared of that mystery girl, aren't you?" she asked in a teasing tone. Her friends turned to Kagome for confirmation.

"No!" Kagome said waving her hand dismissively. "No way! You've got to be kidding me!"

"Come on, Kagome! Confess!" Yuka said. "You've been giving her weird looks all day!"

"I have not!"

"Oh whatever," Ayumi said as they walked towards the museum's entrance. "Hurry guys or we'll miss our ride back!"

"You go, I'll catch up – I…left something back in that room," Kagome told them. Her friends looked unsure, but did as she asked them. Checking to see if they were far enough away, she took a deep breath and walked back to the Egypt display and over to the glass case, peering inside. The girl looked like she was only asleep, her strange silver-blue streak of hair trailing down her face.

"_Do not touch the exhibits_," Kagome read from the side of the case. "Well, it couldn't hurt to…"

She reached her hand out and lightly touched the ice covering the fletching of the arrowwith her fingertips, then quickly drew her hand back. Looking at the point she had touched, Kagome was shocked to see the ice slowly trickling away.

_What am I doing?_ she thought frantically. _It's like I can't help myself…_

She put out her hand again and gripped the arrow's shaft, which was quickly loosing its ice.

And suddenly the arrow disappeared in a burst of pink light.

There was a moment of silence before Kagome stepped back fearfully, wondering what she had done, and looking at her hands in shock. Then she turned and ran from the display room, struggling to determine what she'd seen.

Within the glass case, the girl's violently purple eyes snapped open and as the last of the ice melted away she sat up and looked at her surroundings. She stayed in that position until the janitor came in to clean, saw the girl sitting there, uttered a small scream and ran from the room.

.oOo.

"Hi Mum!" Kagome said brightly as she walked into the kitchen where here mum was cooking.

"Afternoon, Kagome,"her mumanswered. "How was your day?"

"It was all right," Kagome answered vaguely. _Apart from that weird girl at the museum,_ she thought. _I wonder if it was all just a dream?_ "I'm just going to dump my stuff in my room, okay?"

"That's fine, but remember to do all your homework before you do anything else," her mum said, turning back to her cooking.

"Ugh," Kagome grumbled as she started up the stairs. "Homework. And that test to study for too. Such is the life of a schoolgirl."

Now in her room, Kagome dropped her bag on the floor and flung herself onto her bed.

"What was with that girl?" she asked her ceiling. "I hope I didn't wreck anything. Well, at least they'll be able to study her now, I guess…"

She stood up, only to slump back down in the chair in front of her desk and sigh in resignation.

"I'll worry about her later," she said as she dragged her textbooks from her bag. "Right now, I've got _loads_ of work to do."

.oOo.

"Kagome?" her mother asked. Kagome looked up from her dinner, muttering a vague 'hmm?' as she did so.

"Really, Kagome, you should pay attention to your grandpa when he's speaking to you!"

_If I listen to him, I'll fall asleep!_ Kagome thought wryly. _But anyway…_ "What were you saying, Grandpa?"

"I was talking about this wonderful dish that your mother has served us tonight," her grandpa proclaimed, holding up a piece of the food. "Why, these pickles are full of history!"

_I knew it,_ Kagome thought. "Not half as full as you are," she said with a bored expression.

"Kagome!"

"Sorry, mum."

.oOo.

"Bye mum!" Kagome called the next morning as she walked out her front door. "Hurry Sota, or we'll be late!"

Kagome ran all the way to school, her brother following behind. After waving goodbye to Sota at the school gates, she began to walk towards her friends. As she was raising her arm to say hello, a figure darted out towards her, ramming into her side. The schoolgirl landed on the ground with a thump.

"Ow!"

"Kagome!" Ayumi called, running over. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…are you all right?" Kagome asked the figure, who had also landed in the dust. It was a girl of around their age, who's uniform was covered in dust.

"Aye, I'm well," she said shyly. Bowing slightly she added, "sorry 'bout that."

"She speaks funny," Eri whispered to Ayumi. The girl looked up.

"I don't," she said indignantly, gazing at the two friends with intent violet eyes. Kagome looked at her curiously.

"Are you new?" she asked.

"Aye," the girl answered. "Me name's Yousu."

"Pleased to meet you," Kagome said. Her friends introduced themselves to the new girl. _That's so weird,_ she thought. _I have a feeling that I've seen her before…_

Wiping an unusual silver strand of hair from her face, Yousu smiled.

The school bell rang through the grounds. Yousu looked up in alarm.

"What's that?" she asked warily, clenching her fists.

"Uh… the school bell?" Yuka said like she was speaking to a two-year-old. Evidently, Yousu caught her tone, because she blushed and looked away.

"I'm sorry," she said, bowing again. "I'm not very used to this place…I'll explain later…" she looked at Kagome uncertainly, "that is, if I'm allowed to talk to ye after…?"

"Of course!" Kagome answered quickly. "Join us at morning break, Yousu."

The girl immediately brightened. "Thank ye, Kagome. Goodbye!" She ran from the group towards the school building.

"Great Kagome," Eri muttered. "You've made friends with a really freaky girl."

"Yeah," Yuka agreed. "What's with her hair? And her eyes? Do you reckon she wears contacts?"

"Oh, be quiet," Kagome scolded. "I'm sure she's just adjusting to her new school. Besides, I think I've seen her somewhere before…"

"Yes, she does seem familiar, doesn't she?" Ayumi said quietly.

.oOo.

At break the four friends found Yousu sitting alone in a corner of the grounds. The girl moved aside to make room for them, but kept her eyes downcast.

"How's this school so far, Yousu?" Ayumi asked gently.

"Bad," the girl replied simply. "I ain't know nothin' 'bout nothin'. An' I can't remember seein' any of it before," she made a face. "'specially those… comu – things."

"Computers?" Yuka suggested. Yousu nodded sharply.

"How can you not have heard of a computer before?" Eri asked. The girl shrugged and looked at Kagome. Kagome blinked back at her purple stare.

"They told me to make friends, an' I tried," Yousu said.

"Who's 'they'?" Kagome asked.

"Just the people that found me."

"Found you?" Eri asked.

"Yeah," Yousu said, now turning her gaze towards her. "They found me an' they're tryin' to help me. Call themselves doctors, they do."

"Do you suppose she's crazy?" Yuka muttered to Eri, once again causing the new girl to blush.

"I ain't crazy, they says," she said quietly. "It's just that –" she hesitated.

"Just what, Yousu?" Kagome asked.

"Well," the girl said vaguely, "After I woke up they say, 'hello, how're ye feelin'?' an' I says 'fine, 'cept I remember naught but me own name'. An' then they do these tests an' say that I've gotten 'amnesia', whatever that is. I says 'what's that mean?' an' they says: extreme case of memory loss."

"Oh," Ayumi said with sympathy. "You poor thing."

"And," Yousu continued, smiling at Ayumi. "They's wonderin' what these marks are – "

At this, the girl rolled up the long sleeves of her uniform and bared her arms. A tattoo of a silver spiral was revealed on her left shoulder, a teardrop of blue on her right. Pulling her dark hair and silver streak back from her face she showed them her temples. A flame glowed on her right mirrored by a bright green leaf on her left. Yousu let her hair fall back into place as the four stared at her, their mouths wide open in astonishment.

"Why are you telling us this?" Kagome asked finally. The girl shrugged.

"Dunno. But…" her violet eyes stared at Kagome once again. "I kinda remember yer face a bit, dunno where from though," Yousu smiled hopefully, "An' they says I'm not to tell no one, but I reckon if yer familiar then ye gotta know somethin' 'bout me."

Kagome shook her head. "I remember seeing you before somewhere, but I can't remember where. I'm sorry."

Yousu bowed her head. There was silence for a few moments.

"I – There's another thing," the girl said quietly. "I – I'd like to ask for yer help. Them doctors, they scares me. An' they said, if I could finds me a place to stay that I'd be welcome to go, as long as they's allowed to visit me sometimes. Ye see, I haven't any folks. I woke up from my…what'd they call it… my… 'coma'… and they says it was in a strange place that they found me. I got nowhere to go."

"Well," Kagome said brightly. "I'm sure we'll fid a place you can stay! Won't we, Ayumi, Eri, Yuka?"

Ayumi and Eri nodded swiftly. They all were feeling very sorry for the new girl.

After a slight hesitation, Yuka nodded as well.

"I still think she's a bit nutty," she muttered to Ayumi, who scowled at her friend. Yousu overheard – her face turned crimson and she squirmed with embarrassment.

"She didn't mean it," Kagome assured the downcast girl as the bell rang to go back to class. "Really, she was joking."

Yousu muttered something under her breath that sounded awfully like, 'I think yer all nutty too, ye crazy people with…comu…contu… ah stuff it… computers! That's the one!"

_I suppose it's never too late to make a new friend,_ Kagome thought, smiling at the violet-eyed girl.

**Meh. It's a bit rushed, but oh well. And it's raining really, really hard outside and I feel all depressed. :( So I need some reviews, people:) Pretty please! Feedback is always good, and I'll answer any questions that anyone has as well. Review, review, review!**

**Bye for now!**

**Víra**


	3. Like a sister

**Weeeeeeeell… I don't feel like going to the tablelands, so I'll write a new chap instead and study for my SOSE exam…**

**And I know this was supposed to be up sometime within the last twenty-four hours, but I was too tired…**

**Thanks to: DanCrazed, Sorceress of the Cat, Lintered, sangoscourage & Eru for reviewing:) Ooooooh! I feel all warm and fuzzy inside!**

**Disclaimer: _I own Yousu and only Yousu…so far…_**

_To Imbue A Soul_

Chapter 3: Like a sister

.oOo.

"Do you have to go anywhere this afternoon, Yousu?" Kagome asked the violet-eyed girl.

It was the same afternoon, and the bell to conclude school had just rung. The five girls were packing up their books to leave when Yousu turned to Kagome and smiled sadly.

"Yeah, I have to go back to me home at five," she muttered. "I dunno when that is though…"

"Five o'clock?" Yuka asked. Over the course of the day she had become convinced that Yousu wasn't a total nutcase, and had apologized very sincerely to the new girl.

"Then we have two whole hours!" Eri exclaimed. "What do you think we should do?"

"Well…" Ayumi began, "Isn't it Kagome's birthday soon? We should do something special for her…"

"Um, hello…?" Kagome said quietly.

"Yes!" Yuka said. "We can organize a party or something!"

"Uh…guys?" Kagome tried again.

"Ooh! Or a slumber party!" Ayumi cried. Yuka and Eri nodded in unison while Yousu just looked confused.

"Guys!" Kagome said, raising her voice a little. "I wish you wouldn't talk about me as if I wasn't here!"

"Oops, sorry Kagome."

"Yeah, sorry."

"Hey…?" Yousu interrupted quietly. The four of them turned towards her.

"Eh…what's a slumber party?"

.oOo.

"So, Kagome," her mother asked while wiping the dishes clean with a dishcloth.

Kagome had just arrived home, holding a scrap of paper with some numbers scrawled messily under an equally untidy name. "Are you planning anything for your fifteenth birthday?"

"Hmm?" Kagome looked up from the note. "My birthday? Well…I _was _thinking of doing something with my friends…"

_Even though they were the ones that were planning it, not me,_ she thought wryly.

"Great!" her mother exclaimed. "You can invite them over for a sleepover tomorrow night, how's that?"

"Thanks mum!" Kagome said brightly. "Can I ring them?" At a nod from her mother she leaped up to grab the telephone. Squinting at the piece of paper in her hand she slowly dialed the number.

_I hope I got her number right,_ the girl thought as it began to divert her call. _It's pretty hard to read…_

"_Hello? This is the medical ward for Unknown Causes of Disease, Injury and Other Uncommon Inflictions – how may I help you?"_ the female voice on the other end obviously belonged to a person who had rehearsed the introduction well – it sounded like clockwork.

_Yep,_ Kagome thought with a smile. _This is where she'll be._

"Yousu gave me this number – I'm a friend from her school – Kagome Higurashi," she told the woman at the other end. "I'd like to – "

"_Miss Yousu?" _the female asked excitedly, _"The coma girl? She's made friends? Progress already! She adapts quickly, that girl does… that's the only reason we let her out of the ward so soon after waking up! I'll put her through…"_

The nurse's tone had changed from stern to vibrant with energy. Kagome made a bemused face at the wall; some people became excited over the smallest of things –

"_Kagome?"_ a hesitant but rather loud voice spoke through the receiver. In the background, Kagome heard the nurse shouting that you didn't have to yell to be heard on a telephone. The girl continued in her normal quiet level of voice. _"is 'zat ye, Kagome?"_

"Yes, Yousu, it's me," the schoolgirl said, grinning. No one could mistake the new girl's peculiar accent.

"_Oh, Kagome!"_ Yousu launched into talking now that she knew who it was. _"Thank ye so much fer takin' me fer eatin' this afternoon! I had the bestest time!"_

"You're welcome," the girl answered. "Listen, I was wondering if you'd like to come to a slumber party tomorrow with Ayumi, Eri, Yuka and I. It's for my birthday, you see."

"_Really?"_ Yousu exclaimed. _"Ye four never exactly told me what one was…"_

"There're great!" Kagome assured the girl. "Basically, we'll just talk and have fun and not really go to sleep, even though it's a _slumber_ party. Just bring pajamas, a spare set of clothes, and a toothbrush. It's an overnight thing – you'll be sleeping at my place."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. After a few minutes, Kagome became worried.

"Yousu?" she asked.

"_Aye?" _was the immediate reply._ "I was watin' fer ye to say somethin'."_

At this remark Kagome laughed outright, catching the other girl off guard.

"_What've I done, Kagome?"_ Yousu asked worriedly.

"Nothing," the schoolgirl assured her friend, trying to stifle her giggles. "It's just funny that everything is weird for you!'

"_Hey!"_ Yousu protested. _"It's not me…"_ she trailed off and began to giggle herself_. "I guess it tis a bit strange… All of them seem to know everythin', but I don' know anythin'."_

"So," Kagome said when she'd stopped laughing. "Will you be able to come?"

"_I reckon so…Wait up an' I'll ask…"_

While she waited, Kagome glanced up and saw her mum looking at her with a strange expression on her face. 'Who's this?' she mouthed. Kagome was about to reply when Yousu burst back into conversation.

"_Yeah!"_ the girl said, barely able to contain her excitement. _"They says I can go! I got one night a month where I can do stuff, an' they'll let it be tomorrow!"_

"That's great!" Kagome said. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"_Yeah… oh, they asked 'where do you live?'"_ Yousu repeated.

"Higurashi Shrine," Kagome told her. "Bye for now!"

Placing the phone back in it's holder she breathed out with relief.

_That's one down, and three to go – _her thoughts cut off as she noticed her mother still standing there.

"What, mum?" she asked.

"Who was that, Kagome? A new friend of yours?"

"Yes. She's new at school, and I thought it'd be nice to invite her to my party."

"That's kind of you Kagome," her mum said, drying the last dish in her hands. "What's she like?"

"Oh, she's very shy," Kagome began. "And I don't really know much about her, as she's just woken from a coma and can't remember anything – "

The plate her mother was holding crashed to the floor.

"Mum! Are you okay?" Kagome asked her, walking over to her and picking up the dish, which luckily hadn't been damaged.

"Yes, I'm fine, just… what was this new girl's name?" her mother asked.

"I said it a few times on the phone – it's Yousu," Kagome replied.

"Yousu…" her mum murmured. "I thought so…"

"What is it mum?"

"Oh, I read an advertisement in the paper and went to the hospital to see the child that was seeking a home from there," the woman explained. "She's just been woken from an unnatural sleep, and from what I could determine, she's orphaned. Her memory is gone except for the knowledge of her name and how to speak."

"It's Yousu." Kagome stated rather than questioned.

"Yes, I took pity on the girl, poor thing," her mother continued sadly. "She's been made a ward of the state, and now I am listed as her guardian. It seemed like the hospital was glad to get rid of her, though if she's like you say, I don't see why. They did say there were strange disturbances whenever she was around…"

"But if you're her guardian, then wouldn't she be living with us?"

Her mother nodded in answer to her question. "I offered for her to come and live with us the day after tomorrow. I don't think they've told her yet – I hope she agrees."

Just then, the telephone rang, echoing through the room. Kagome sighed and lifted it off its hook.

"Hello?" she asked.

"_Hey, Kagome!"_ Yousu's breathless voice came over the receiver. _"Ye'll never guess what's happened!"_

_I've got a pretty good idea…_ Kagome thought with a smile. "What, Yousu?"

"_Well, I told 'em where ye lived, an' I was real happy, an' then a doctor came up to gimme a message 'bout some people that's offered me a home!"_ the girl recalled with enthusiasm. _"An' I've got someplace to live now! The lady here reads out the name of me new home an' I says, wait up – that's Kagome's place, that is! An' it turns out that yer mum asked if I'd like to come live with ye!"_

"Yes Yousu, mum was just telling me!" Kagome said, the excitement finally catching up with her. "It'll be like having a sister!"

"_Yep!"_ Yousu agreed. _"And ye can help me learn stuff again an' – oh. Okay, Kagome, they're calling me for another test-thing. I gotta go – see ye tomorrow!"_

"Bye!" Once again, Kagome hung up the receiver and smiled. Turning towards her mother she leapt towards her and hugged her, smiling happily.

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" the schoolgirl cried. "You're the best, mum!"

"Kagome…? Mum…? What's all the fuss?" Sota asked suddenly, entering the room.

"We have a sister, Sota!" Kagome told him, hugging her brother as well, much to his disgust.

"Mum!" he said over his sister's shoulder. "She's scaring me."

Releasing him, Kagome began to laugh at the confused look on his face and was joined by her mother a moment later.

"What?" her brother asked, still lost. "What's going on?"

"You'll see!" Kagome said, smiling.

**Well, that was unexpected. My fingers just typed and up on the screen a story formed under my very eyes! I think I'll stop there, or risk it seeming rushed again.**

**Stay tuned! Next up: the slumber party! Not to mention Kagome's disappearance on her fifteenth birthday:)**

**Please review! This fic has had…80 hits and just 10 reviews! Come on! We all know you readers can do better! – puppy eyes – _please?_**

**Until the next chapter!**

**Víra :)**


	4. A home

**Hi!**

**Thanks go to: DanCrazed, sangoscourage, Lintered & Sorceress of the Cat for reviewing:) YAY! _–hugs–_ thanks so much!**

**Okay… I feel weird...as usual. I need some more reviews people! _–makes hopeful face–_ please! Now, on with the fic!**

**Disclaimer: _INUYASHA! YAY! I REALLY need to hug him – even though he'd probably poke me with his sword for doing so… oh well. That just proves that I don't own him or anyone else…except for Yousu. Yousu is MINE:)_**

_To Imbue A Soul_

Chapter 4: The secret

.oOo.

The following afternoon Yousu burst eagerly into the hospital ward that would soon no longer be hers – after tonight she wouldn't have to endure any of those doctors and their scary examinations. They were scary in her own opinion anyway.

_An' I'll 'ave me a family!_ she thought excitedly as she began to pull out her meagre wardrobe of clothes. For some reason, having a family seemed important somehow, as if before she hadn't had any…

_But that's cryin' stuff,_ the girl thought determinedly. _An' I ain't gonna be all sad fer Kagome an' her friends…They says that me memories'll come back to me later in time –_

"How are you, dear?" the nurse Yousu knew as Lady Miki swept into the room holding a travelling bag and a few other things. Dropping them on the bed she added," These are yours – they're from the donation box, and you were lucky enough to get them since you're leaving…"

Yousu listened attentively to the lady's chatter – in the girl's opinion Miki talked way too much. But the girl did listen. Yousu had found that you learnt fast by listening, and no one could compare to the longing the girl felt when it came to knowledge.

"Do you only have these three things to wear, Miss Yousu?" Miki asked. The girl nodded.

"Me pale kimono they found me in, me sleepin'-clothes, the stuff I'm wearin' an' that shirt and half-dress I gotta wear when I'm not at school."

"It's a skirt, dear."

"Eh, okay."

"So," the nurse began as she neatly folded the clothes and packed them away in the new bag, "Are you excited, Yousu? Do you think you'll have fun in your new home?"

"Aye an' aye. I reckon there'll be lots of fun happenin'" Yousu confirmed. "An' I know that Kagome's mum'll take lots of care of me. I saw her at school when it finished an' I reckon she's real nice."

"That's great!" Miki replied enthusiastically. "But I've been told to inform you that you will have to report back here from time to time. Say…if you get a flash of memory from before your coma – anything that would help with your recovery."

"Aye, I will," Yousu said quietly. "I'd give anythin' to have me thoughts back fer me own."

And no one but her knew just how much.

In half an hour the girl had changed into a white shirt and lavender skirt – a new set of clothes that had been donated just for the occasion. Yousu blushed when the nurse said she looked beautiful and hastily denied the fact.

"All set?" the lady asked when she was done.

"Yeah!" the girl exclaimed. "I was ready _ages_ ago! Come on!"

Grabbing Miki in a grip that seemed too strong to belong to any normal teenage girl, Yousu grabbed her bag and dragged her carer from the room. People in the hospital corridors stopped to stare at the laughing pair as they slid to a halt in front of the reception. The receptionist there smiled at the girl.

"You'll get far on those legs, miss," she said, laughing. Yousu turned to the nurse who was breathing heavily, but smiling. Frowning, the girl concentrated on her own breathingbut found nothing uneven about it.

_That's a right strange thing…_ Yousu thought. _But those doctors _did _say that I'd a rather good ability to run for someone who just woke up from a long-sleep._

"Now, Miss Yousu," the girl's carer said, "You'll be getting a ride to Higurashi Shrine in one of the services cars, all right?"

"Ye ain't comin'?" Yousu asked. Miki shook her head.

"You're on your own now dear – along with your new family, of course," the lady added when the girl began to frown. "You'll be fine, just try your best and you'll do well."

"Aye, I'll try," Yousu assured her. Bowing deeply much to the amusement of everyone watching she added, "Ye I'll never forget fer yer help."

"I was just doing my job…" Miki said, but Yousu caught the lady's touched tone of voice.

Outside a silver car pulled into the car park.

"Ah! Here we are!" her carer said, exiting through the sliding doors after signing off a slip of paper at the reception. "You'll be riding with Miss Naho here – off you go!"

Yousu eyed the vehicle and its driver warily.

"I won't bite!" Naho laughed then looked quizzically at the nurse. "Miki, she's the coma-girl, isn't she?"

"Yes – here's the documents that you'll have to give to Ms Higurashi..."

The two women's conversation faded from Yousu's hearing as the girl stepped up to the car. Its shiny paint mirrored her reflection and she studied it intently.

_Who _am_ I?_ she wondered. _I woke from a coma not four days past an' I ain't able to recall anythin'! 'Cept fer me name o' course. Yousu…_ Lifting her hair back she tilted her head slightly so she was able to see the 'tattoos' as the doctors called them. _But mayhap with Kagome I can remember stuff – I seem to always see her face in me dreams... though I don't really like the feelin' I get with it. It's like I hate her or somethin'…_

"Miss Yousu!" Naho called. "Jump in and we'll get going!"

_But…_ the girl added in her head as she bowed to Miki one last time before seating herself uncomfortably in the passenger seat of the vehicle. _I don't reckon I could _ever_ hate Kagome. She's been so nice to me – an' she sounded real pleased 'bout me livin' with her an' everythin'…_

_So what are these dreams if they ain't memories?_

-----

"Here we are," Naho said, pulling up outside Kagome's – and now Yousu's – home. After a quick exchange of greetings and documents Naho left and Yousu was left standing shyly in the doorway.

"Kagome!" her mum called. "Your friend is here!"

"Who?" Kagome called from upstairs. "Yuka? Or Eri maybe?"

"It's Yousu – your new sister!" her mother called, winking at the girl beside her. There was a quick pattering of feet and Kagome appeared behind her mum.

"Yousu!" she said brightly. "Hi! Come in and I show you around! Here, let me take that for you…"

Kagome grabbed the girl's few belongings and led her into the house, once Yousu removed her shoes. At the base of the stairs Yousu paused and spun around into a bow to Kagome's mother.

"Thank ye, ma'am, fer givin' me a home," she said swiftly.

"You don't have to bow, Yousu," the woman said, smiling. Yousu straightened immediately. "And I hope that you are happy here."

"I will be! There ain't nothin' that'll change that!" the girl exclaimed before racing after Kagome.

In Kagome's room the two girls seated themselves on the bed.

"It's going to be so much fun!" Kagome exclaimed. "The others should be arriving any minute…"

Sure enough, within fifteen minutes Yuka, Ayumi and Eri were upstairs with their gear. Yousu became shy again until the other four began telling jokes, after which she just became confused.

"I don't understand _any_ o' –" she began, but was cut off when Sota walked in to the room.

"Hi you guys…" he asked then stopped when he saw Yousu staring at him with interest, her violet eyes glittering.

"Uh…" Sota trailed off and glanced at Kagome. "This is our new sister, right?"

"This's yer brother?" Yousu asked at the same time.

"Yes Yousu, this is Sota," Kagome said quickly. Her brother was still glancing nervously at the violet-eyed girl. Yousu blushed as she realized she was making him feel uncomfortable. She half-bowed to him before apologising hastily. Sota visibly relaxed.

"That's okay, Yousu – you just gave me a fright," he told her. Staring back at her a little awe began to show on his face. "Wow, look at your eyes! They're so cool!"

Everyone laughed as the violet-eyed girl crossed her eyes trying to see them for herself.

"Here," Kagome said, still giggling. "Have a mirror."

-----

Later that afternoon just before dark the five girls sat on their temporary beds in Kagome's room talking to each other. It was a tight squeeze, but the five of them just managed to fit.

"Hey, I know," Yuka said to the others. "Why don't we play 'Truth or Dare'?"

"What's that?" Yousu asked.

"Well," Eri began, "someone asks 'Truth or Dare?" and then the person that they ask chooses one. If its Truth then you get asked a question that you have to answer and the other is something to do – a 'Dare'."

"That sounds stupid," Yousu snorted.

"It _is_ silly," Ayumi muttered.

"But it can be fun too!" Yuka insisted. "You go first, Yousu."

"If ye say so…I'll choose Truth," Yousu snuggled into her blanket. "I don't wanna move right now."

"Okay, Yousu, I know that you don't have much of a past," Yuka began. "But… what's your biggest secret?"

"If I tol' ye it ain't gonna be a secret no more!" Yousu said triumphantly. "Although," she added when she received a mix of scowls and grins from her companions, "I do 'ave one, I think."

"Well, then," Ayumi urged in spite of herself. "Tell us!"

Yousu took a deep breath and watched the full moon begin todrift above the horizon.

"Well, when I was at the hospital, they all says that weird things kept happenin' about me – like I could run real fast without bein' out of breath an' stuff. An' when I first woke up I was real scared – whenever anyone got close there was freaky winds and frozen things an' –" she stopped because they all were staring at her in shock. She blushed. "What?"

Kagome silently got up to turn on the light switch causing Yousu to blink rapidly at the abrupt change in brightness.

"What?" she asked again.

"Uh… look in the mirror, Yousu," Kagome suggested. The girl did so and gaped at what she saw.

"That's – That ain't me!" she exclaimed. "That just _ain't_ me!"

The Yousu in the reflection still looked similar, but the silver streak in her bangs had vanished and her eyes had dimmed to a deep black. Through her hair Yousu could see no trace of the markings on her temples and when she checked her arms it was no different.

"I – I'm _normal_," she said in astonishment. "I – I'll 'ave to tell the hospital this now," she groaned. "I can tell by yer faces that this ain't usual, right?"

The other four nodded together.

"I don't think you should tell them, Yousu," Ayumi said softly after a long silence. "They either won't believe you or they'll take you back there and do more tests on you like you were some kind of alien."

"Alien?"

"A being from space – up in the sky."

"Oh," Yousu sighed, her nowblack eyes expressionless. "Well, I ain't able to remember nothin', remember? Fer all we know, I _could _be a person from the sky."

She was so newto all of this, but Yousu was sure that she could trust her new friends. Some inner instinct told her that.

"I wonder if I'll change back?" she wondered aloud as she continued to watch the full moon dust the cloudy sky withblue-white moonbeams.

**Well, I like how this chappie turned out in the end. Finally – some mystery! Sort of…**

**Okay, please review! Pretty please? And tell me how you liked it :)**

**Bye!**

**Víra**


	5. The disappearance

**I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean for you to wait this long, promise! I've just been really, really busy with school and stuff… But now it's the holidays! So I'll give you all a few chappies while I have the time:)**

**Thanks to: DanCrazed, sangoscourage, Sorceress of the Cat and Lintered for your reviews!**

_To Imbue A Soul_

Chapter 5:

.oOo.

It was the morning after the sleepover. The four girls awoke to find Yousu grinning happily.

"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing to her hair. "I'm me again!"

Her silver-blue streak had returned, much to her delight. A quick glance at her arms and face showed the strange marks to have reappeared also. The now violet-eyed girl sat back on her bed smiling.

"It's like it was all me dreamin'," she muttered to herself.

"Kagome…" Yuka asked slowly. "What is she talking about?"

Kagome looked at her friend in confusion.

"You don't remember?" she asked in surprise.

"Nope," Eri and Yuka said together. Ayumi remained silent, just looking at Kagome.

"Well, last night all Yousu's strange markings disappeared, and her eyes were normal and – do you remember?" Kagome asked hastily as a grin began to spread across Eri's face.

"Nice try, Kagome!" Yuka cried in triumph. "But _we_ won't fall for that trick!"

"Good job for getting Yousu to act along too," Eri added.

Kagome stared at her friends. "But –"

"Kagome," Ayumi said quietly, grabbing her by the arm. "May I have a word?"

Confused, the schoolgirl let herself be led from her bedroom, trying to ignore the ecstatic expression of Yousu, and the knowledgeable grins of Yuka and Eri.

"Kagome," Ayumi began once they were out of earshot. "Don't try to convince them of something that they don't understand."

"So you _do_ remember!" Kagome sighed with relief. "I thought I was going crazy!"

"You're not, Kagome," Ayumi assured her with a smile. "Yuka and Eri saw what happened to Yousu too, but they can't find an explanation for it. Their brains are telling them that it wasn't real."

"But…_I_ believe what I saw, even though I don't know how it happened!" Kagome cried. She slumped against a wall. "I'm so confused."

"So am I, but I _do_ believe what I saw," Ayumi confirmed. "I think it's because I read too much, like Yuka and Eri are always telling me." She smiled reassuringly at her friend.

_Nothing fazes you, does it?_ Kagome thought, returning the smile. "Right – as confused as I am I'll try not to let it get to me. Thanks Ayumi."

The two returned to the room where Yuka and Eri were quizzing Yousu on her knowledge. The three of them looked up as Kagome walked over.

"This is so weird!" Eri said. "She hardly understands anything that we all take for granted, and the things she does remember are _really_ old-fashioned."

Yousu looked away, her face heated with embarrassment.

"Yousu, it's nothing to be ashamed of," Ayumi said gently. "I'm sure that over time everything will be explained." She glared at her two friends. "You don't have to deliberately make her feel uncomfortable all the time!"

Eri and Yuka insisted that they hadn't meant to. An uncomfortable silence followed.

"Come on," Kagome finally sighed. "We still have school today, let's have breakfast and get going."

.oOo.

Once they were ready the five of them left in a rush, running to get to school.

"Kagome!" Yuka groaned as she realized what time it was. "Your mum makes her breakfasts too delicious!"

"You didn't have to spend all that time eating!" Kagome retorted. "It's your own fault! Now hurry!"

The girls made it into the school grounds just as the first bell sounded. Yousu watched the other four as they panted, trying to catch their breath. Like at the hospital, she found that running didn't cause her to lose her breath at all. The girl looked towards the main doors where all the students were heading and spotted a boy looking back towards the group. Yousu stared at him, then followed his gaze and found Kagome on the other end of it.

_That guy's want's somethin' ta do wiv Kagome, an' it's gettin' on me nerves,_ she thought, instinctively tensing and clenching her fists. Then she shook her head and forced herself to relax. _What am I thinkin'? Tons o' guys look at girls that way here. It means that they like 'em…_

The boy noticed Yousu's glare and looked away hastily. She snorted.

_If he likes 'er, why don' he jus say so?_ she wondered.

"Yousu? Yousu! We're going to be late!"

The words snapped the girl out of her thoughts, making her turn towards the call. She found that her four friends had caught their breath and had walked ahead, waiting for her to follow.

_Another day in school,_ Yousu sighed in defeat, but she ran to catch up to them.

.oOo.

First class for Yousu was Math. The teacher quickly caught on that Yousu was having trouble understanding and kindly set her beginner's work after hearing her explanation and receiving a written note from Kagome's mother.

_Sure makes things easier,_ Yousu thought as copied papers were set in front of her. The girl bent her head over her task, but as the lesson progressed she became aware of the curious stares of her class. She tried to ignore them but couldn't help overhearing muttered comments and muffled giggles. Her ears glowed crimson with embarrassment.

It was slowly and reluctantly that she stood from her seat to go to the next class. Handing what she had managed to complete to the teacher, she kept her head lowered as she stepped into the corridor.

"Why the long face?" a voice at her shoulder asked. Yousu looked up to see Ayumi at her side.

"Ye people think I'm strange," she mumbled to her friend. "All the time they is speakin' 'bout me when they thinks I ain't lookin'."

Ayumi patted her shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, new people are always talked about in this way. It'll die down in a few days once they find something else to talk about, you'll see."

Yousu tried to feel more hopeful, but couldn't. Something told her that this feeling of being alone had been felt by her before, and she wasn't enjoying it at all.

"Higurashi!"

The two girls stopped and turned at the sound of Kagome's last name. The teacher Yousu had just had was darting towards them waving pages of paper.

"Oh… looks like Kagome's done something again," Ayumi muttered. "Maybe she aced a test…"

But to both girls surprise – and also the surprise of the people around them – the teacher halted in front of Yousu.

"Higurashi?"

"M-Me, s-sir?" Yousu managed to stammer after a hasty bow.

"Yes, you," seeing the confusion on Yousu's face he added. "You _are_ Yousu Higurashi, aren't you?"

"N-No sir! I'm sorry sir!" Yousu bowed again. "I ain't got another name. The Higurashi family took me in when I… when I woke up! I ain't able ta remember me other name."

The teacher regarded her with sympathy. "I see. Well then, Miss Yousu, I have to ask you – are you sure that you haven't any knowledge of math?"

"Them numbers an' stuff?" The girl thought hard. "I know I can count, and add 'em sometimes but… not really anythin' much."

"Yousu," the teacher said softly. "I gave you this easy paper along with instructions. You followed them to the letter. I expect you to just as well in the next class. Good day."

Yousu watched in silence as he walked away to teach his next class.

"That was weird," Kagome noted, suddenly appearing beside the two girls.

"When did you get here?" Ayumi asked with a raised eyebrow. Kagome shrugged.

"I was heading to my next class when a guy ran up to me to say that the math teacher was calling for me," she explained. "I came to see what was happening and found this."

Yousu looked thoughtful. "He says 'jus as well'. 'Zat mean I did fine?"

"Who knows?" Kagome said. "You'll have to wait until your next lesson to find out. Come on, I'll help you find your next class, Yousu."

With the explanation for her learning trouble to notify her teachers, Yousu found that the day passed more easily. Soon school had ended, and it was time to go home.

.oOo.

That evening, Yousu found herself to be the focus of her adopted grandfather's attention. He took no time in declaring her as 'suspicious' and continued to glower at her throughout the evening meal. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Grandpa!" Kagome finally shouted, nearly slamming her fist onto the table. "Stop it! Yousu hasn't done anything wrong! Leave her alone!"

The old man squinted at the violet-eyed girl with suspicion before answering. "She is not trustworthy! She could bring harm to this household that has been protected by generations of Higurashi priests!"

"Not this again," Sota muttered.

"Yousu would never hurt us Grandpa! How could you say that?" Kagome demanded.

"I doubt she is even human," her grandfather continued, observing the colour of her eyes.

"Grandpa – !" Kagome began, but was interrupted by a hand on her arm, silencing her.

"Thank ye fer the meal, ma'am,"Yousu said quietly to Kagome's mother. "I think I'll go ta bed now."

The girl stood quickly and fled from the room.

"Grandpa!" her friend said to the old man who hadn't even realized he had caused Yousu's abrupt departure. "What was that for? Don't tell me you've proven Yousu to be a demon or – what are you doing now?"

Her grandfather had taken out a strip of paper from the folds of his clothing. Handing them to Kagome he looked at her carefully.

"These exorcism sutras will rid you of that demon and her aura of evil," he informed her knowledgably before standing and walking out of the room. Kagome glared at his back as he left then sighed sadly.

"Why did he have to go and do that?" the girl asked in a strained voice.

"Because he's Grandpa – he does things like that," her mum said calmly. She stood also. "I'll go and speak to Yousu, Kagome. Why don't you talk to your grandfather and work things out? Make sure you start the conversation with something to distract him – something he likes talking about."

Looking at both his mother and sister, Sota began to feel uneasy. "I'll help mum with Yousu," he muttered, and walked off to find her.

"Good luck," his mum wished her daughter, and followed him.

"I'd best get this over with," Kagome sighed.

Heading into the room her grandfather had entered she found him seated on the floor looking through the boxes of goods that had been delivered that morning. Seeing her, he opened his mouth to speak. She hastily cut him off by grabbing the nearest box and pulling out one of the items inside.

"What are these things, Grandpa?" she asked him, feigning interest. The old man plucked one from the box and cleared his throat as the cat Buyo entered the room and sat beside Kagome.

"That, Kagome, is the Shikon no Tama," her grandfather told her.

"Shikon no…what?" Kagome asked.

"Shikon no Tama, my girl! The Jewel of Four Souls!"

Kagome studied the keychain in her hand. Yes, it was shiny, but it didn't look all that fantastic. "You don't actually think tourists are going to buy these dumb keychains, do you?"

"That is not just a keychain!" the man insisted. "That crystal at the end is a replica of an ancient jewel which –"

Noticing Buyo's interest in the bauble Kagome held it out for her cat to try and grab. Looking up at her grandfather's silence she saw his glare and tried to pay attention.

"As I was saying, that crystal is a replica of an ancient jewel which –"

He stopped as he realized Kagome wasn't paying any attention to him at all. He tried again, raising his voice a little.

"An ancient jewel –"

Kagome, bored already from his attempts decided to try a different tactic. "You do remember it's my birthday tomorrow, right?"

Her grandfather's glare turned into a chuckle as he pulled a box out from behind his back.

"I'd planned to wait another day, but…"

"So you _did_ get something!" Kagome exclaimed in spite of herself. "Hand it over!"

Opening the package he handed to her she rummaged around inside and drew out…

…something she couldn't identify at all. It was dark green and wrinkly.

"And this would be…?" she asked.

"That, my dear, is a mummified hand of a water-imp, which –"

Kagome finally lost her patience with her grandpa and held the thing out to the cat.

"Here Buyo," she said tonelessly. "Eat."

"No! That's an antique!" the old man cried, and reached after the cat who just walked off.

"Now Grandpa," Kagome said, getting his attention. "Why are you saying that Yousu is a demon? Why don't you like her?"

"She's still here?" her grandfather demanded, producing more sutras. "She must be a strong demoness indeed to have breached the defences of both the shrine and the sutras!"

_He has a one-track mind,_ Kagome thought, looking at him like he was mad.

"Beware demon! I will banish you from this home you now haunt! You will be exorcised! Beware!"

"Oh, just forget it," Kagome muttered, leaving the room to find Yousu.

Her friend had bathed and was snuggled into her bed beside Kagome's. Whatever Kagome's mother and brother had told her had obviously made her feel better about the old man. Yousu showed a small smile as Kagome sat on her own bed.

"I don't really think that Grandpa meant what he said, Yousu," Kagome told her.

"Oh, 'e did," Yousu replied, a-matter-of-fact. Her friend was shocked at the certainty in her tone.

"I didn' take offence at 'is words, ye know," the girl continued. "It's jus… the stuff 'e said made me think."

Kagome waited in silence.

"I think someone's said that I ain't human before now. Lotsa someones. It's like I'm used ta it or somethin'." Yousu rolled over and muttered sleepily, "I really musta lived wiv tons o' nice folks, eh Kagome?"

Kagome smiled at her attempt at a joke, and then Yousu breathed deeply and settled into sleep.

.oOo.

The next day, Kagome woke to a pair of violet eyes inches from hers. The girl screamed and sat up, pushing whoever it was away from her with as much force as she could muster.

Yousu stumbled away from her and fell to the floor with a thump.

"Yousu!" Kagome exclaimed, jumping from her bed and kneeling beside the girl. "I'm so sorry, Yousu! Are you okay? I didn't realize –"

"I'm fine, Kagome," Yousu assured her, standing smoothly and helping her friend from the floor. She began to straighten her school uniform which she'd already changed into. "I'm sorry fer startlin' ye. I meant ta give ye a surprise…."

"You did!" Kagome cried and started to giggle.

Yousu blinked at her for a few moments before enveloping her friend in a hug.

"Happy birthday Kagome!" the girl said, her violet eyes glittering.

"Thanks Yousu," her friend said, returning the hug. "Let's get ready for school now, okay?"

"Right," Yousu replied agreeably.

Heading down for breakfast Yousu flickered a purple glance upon Kagome's grandfather before stepping up to him and giving him a huge smile. The old man eyed the strange girl warily. Yousu, seeing that he still refused to trust her, bowed to him before turning away, heading towards the front door.

"Yousu, aren't you going to eat?" Kagome asked in a worried tone.

"Nup! Already did!" the girl said happily as she exited. "See ye outside! I hear Sota callin'!"

Kagome listened, but heard nothing. She frowned in puzzlement.

"Both your brother and Yousu woke early," her mother said, placing a bowl in front of her. "Eat up, Kagome, and then you can be off."

Outside, Yousu had found Sota calling for Buyo.

"What're doin'?" she called, running up to the boy who held a dish of cat food.

"It's time for Buyo to eat, but I can't find him anywhere!" Sota told her, a hint of pleading in his voice.

"The cat?" Yousu asked, scanning the grounds of the shrine with her violet gaze. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath in while Sota watched her, looking a bit baffled. Not noticing his expression, the girl spun and pointed to a small building.

"There. That's what yer lookin' fer," she announced clearly. "Buyo's in there – I can smell 'im."

"Smell…him…?" Sota asked, still confused.

"Yeah. C'mon!" Grabbing her adoptive brother by the hand Yousu pulled him over to where she'd indicated.

"B-But that's the well!" Sota cried. "I don't want to go in there!"

Yousu stopped on the steps. "What? Are ye scared?"

"No!"

"Then go an' get 'im!"

"I'm leaving!" they both heard Kagome shout. She started running, spotted them, and headed over.

"Yousu, you forgot your schoolbag," she told her friend as she neared them. Seeing where they were she frowned at her brother. "Hey, what are you…?"

"Nothing…" Sota answered guiltily.

"You're not supposed to play in there," Kagome scolded, sliding the satchels off her arm and placing them on the ground.

"I'm not!" her brother insisted.

"It's the cat," Yousu added.

"Did he go down to the well?" Kagome asked.

"Well… Yousu said she smelt him…" Sota trailed off, realizing how weird that sounded. Kagome raised her eyebrows. The three of them entered the building.

Yousu saw a pit that dropped down from the platform they were standing on, with stairs leading to the pit's bottom and also a covered well.

_She glimpsed a well, uncovered and devoid of water, centred in the middle of a forest clearing as she raced by…_

Yousu shook her head to clear it, the silver streak in her hair flashing in the dim light. _What was _that? she wondered. _Somethin' from me memory?_

"Buyo!" Sota called. "Yousu said he was in here, and I don't know where else he could be!"

"So, go down," Yousu suggested, Sota having snapped her out of her thoughts.

"But why do I gotta be the one?" he whined.

"Because _you're_ the one who's looking for him!" Kagome retorted.

Yousu jumped as a scratching, creaking noise came to her ears. Sota screamed and darted behind his sister.

"Something's down there!" he cried.

"Uh, yeah – the cat!" Kagome told him. Yousu narrowed her eyes, trying to peer through the shadows at the base of the steps. Something was awfully familiar about that well…

"Sheesh," Kagome muttered, standing straight. Slowly, she began to descend the steps, watched intently by her brother and her friend. Yousu jumped again as she heard the sound of wood groaning.

_That sound…from inside the well…_ Kagome thought, pausing in front of the covered box. Another sound came from her direct left and she shrieked in fear. Sota screamed in terror. Yousu started, then looked down and began laughing.

"Buyo!" Sota said in realization. The violet-eyed girl sat down, clutching her stomach and giggling like mad. Kagome picked Buyo up as the cat rubbed against her legs.

"You make fun of me 'cause _I'm_ scared and you're all 'argh!' 'eeek!'," Sota complained.

"Look who's talking mister 'why do I have to go?'." Kagome glared at him.

Yousu abruptly stopped giggling as a third creaking sound was heard.

"It…It ain't the cat?" she asked nervously.

In Yousu's vision, the well's lid suddenly shone, edged with brightness. In the blink of an eye is was shaking madly on its hinges, the light growing brighter with every passing moment.

"Sis…" Sota said worriedly. "Behind you…"

Yousu leapt to her feet as the well erupted with tendrils of light that wove themselves into vaguely-shaped arms. The girl's violet eyes reflected the shock on Kagome's face as the tendrils grasped her, pulling her into the well. Buyo leapt out of Kagome's arms to land safely on the steps.

"What's going on?" Sota shouted in a panic.

"Kagome!" Yousu yelled.

Without hesitation, Yousu leapt off the platform, landed in the pit and straightened, all in one smooth movement. Another quick jump and she was beside the well, reaching for her friend's hand as she was dragged downwards. Crying out her name again, Yousu clutched the edge of the well with one hand and grabbed at Kagome's arm – their fingertips brushed once before Kagome abruptly disappeared out of her friend's vision completely. All Yousu could see was the dirt at the very base of the well.

A heavy silence thickened the air. Yousu was frozen in position, her hand outstretched and Kagome's name on the tip of her tongue. A moment passed then the girl's shoulder's slumped and she sat on the ground with a thump.

"She's gone… W-What jus happened?" Yousu muttered, still shocked.

_What're we gonna do now?_

**Yay! I'm done! Wow… I wrote more than I expected to… and I once again apologize for the long wait. Thank you for your patience! ****So… did you like this chappie? We're finally getting into the episodes! YAY! Please, PLEASE review! It makes me so happy when you do, and gives me the motivation to write more:) An' I'll love ye fer it! ;) Go Yousu!**

**Hugs!**

**Víra :)**


	6. Missing

**Hi to all:) I'm back! Eheh… I just realized that I'm putting 'Episode' instead of chapter for this fic… I think I'll have to go back and fix chapters 2 – 5 later…**

**To all the people that reviewed last chapter I give HUGE hugs! These lovelies were: sangoscourage, Sorceress of the Cat, DanCrazed, Ainigma and Moedhaer! Thanks so much:)**

**Disclaimer: _You all know the story. We FanFiction Authors own hardly anything. As for me, I can only lay claim to YOUSU! … Thank you for your time. :)_**

_To Imbue A Soul_

Episode 6: The ones left behind…

.oOo.

"Yousu?" Sota asked. His adopted sister slowly turned to face him – the boy was staring at her in awe.

"What?" she asked him, blushing furiously.

"H-How did you jump that far?" Sota stuttered in amazement.

"Jump what far?" Yousu asked in surprise. Then she looked at the distance between the floor and where she had been standing beside Sota and stared.

"Oh," she managed to mumble in her shock. After checking herself over for injuries she snapped back into the situation.

"This's no time fer us ta be wonderin' what I'm doin' weird stuffs fer – we gotta tell Kagome's mum what's happenin'!" With those words, Yousu leapt up the steps, grabbed the stunned boy by the wrist and dragged him from the room with the well. Dashing directly to the house she reached it within a few short breaths.

"Lady Higurashi! Grandpa!" the girl called desperately and she burst through the front door, shoving her shoes from her feet and dumping a dazed Sota on the floor. "Help us!"

Kagome's mother ran to them from the hall, a look of anxious concern on her face. "What is it? What's happened?"

"It's Kagome!" Yousu began as Kagome's grandfather bustled into the room. "The cat was hidin' an' Sota went ta find 'im an' the well exploded an' arms came out an' they grabbed 'er an' –"

"She disappeared!" Sota cried, scrambling up from the floor and running to his mother. "Kagome was kidnapped, mum! What are we going to do?" his voice had reached a wail by the time he had finished and he burst into tears, his fright finally catching up to him. Yousu took a moment in her panic to direct a glance of sympathy at her adopted brother before turning towards his mother.

"We've gotta help 'er!" she pleaded.

"Calm down, Yousu," the woman said soothingly. "I'm sure you've misunderstood something. If we just –"

"But it's true mum!" Sota sobbed. "I saw it! Yousu tried to help Kagome but she vanished! I'll show you!"

The boy towed his astonished mother out the front door. Yousu moved to follow then sighted the old man frowning at her.

"I, for one, do not believe your story, demon!" he said sternly. "I believe this is all a trick of your vile kind to –"

"Sir," Yousu said firmly. "I know ye think I'm a demon jus' coz I'm strange, but I _am_ tellin' the truth – ye have te believe me!" Bowing low and respectfully she spoke softly. "Come an' I'll show ye that she's gone."

Straightening and hesitantly taking Grandpa by the sleeve she slid into her shoes and walked calmly out the door, even though every instinct told her to run. Being younger, the trip across the yard was agonizingly slow for Yousu as she kept the old man's pace until reaching the well.

"There!" Sota was showing his mother. "Kagome was right in front of the well, and then this…this…_thing_ came out and grabbed her!"

"What 'thing' exactly, Sota?" his mother asked as Yousu and the old man approached them.

"Well… It had lots o' arms..." Yousu interrupted quietly. "An' it looked like it was kinda made o' water…or maybe light…"

"Make up your mind, girl!" Grandpa shouted, trying to cuff Yousu over the head, but failing when the girl ducked. With lightning reflexes she grabbed his wrist and squeezed it tightly, causing the man to cry out in pain.

"I'm sorry!" Yousu gasped in apology, dropping his arm and backing away out of arm's reach. "I don' know what happened! Sorry!"

"Yousu!" her adopted mother scolded. "I though you knew better then to hurt others!"

A long, awkward pause ensured. After a death-glare directed at the girl, the grandfather sniffed haughtily and turned his attention to the more pressing matter of his supposedly missing granddaughter.

Dramatically, he cleared his throat.

"This well was once used as a graveyard for the bones of evil demons…" Grandpa began the long and unnecessary story while Sota and his mum politely listened.

Embarrassed and guilt-ridden about what she had done, Yousu listened as well as she could but she was distracted by her worry for Kagome. Absent-mindedly she rubbed her upper arms – they had begun to tingle with pricks of cold.

_Somethin' about this's strange,_ she thought as she listened to the old man ramble. _Lots strange. Stuff like this ain't normal…_

"What about Kagome?" she interjected suddenly. Grandpa looked peeved at being interrupted, but Kagome's mother snapped back to attention.

"That's right… I thought she might be hiding or trying to play a trick on Sota, but she hasn't come out yet…Kagome?" she called, peering down the well. "Kagome! Sota, run and get a torch would you? She might have fallen and hit her head…"

"I hope not…" the boy said uneasily, the worry clearly showing on his face. He raced up the stairs and out of the building. Yousu fidgeted with anxiety as she listened to his footsteps thudding along the ground and up to the house.

"Yousu, dear…are you sure it wasn't a trick of the light?" her adoptive mother questioned as she searched the shadowed corners of the building while Grandpa made a show of banishing evil spirits who might be after Kagome.

"I'm sure," Yousu mumbled, staring intently at the well. She knew Kagome wasn't _there_ any more. She didn't know how, but she could _tell._ She just _knew._

Just like she _knew_ that she'd seen that well before…

_A passing glimpse…a box well in a forest clearing as she raced by, intent on nothing but…_

…_Nothin' but what?_ Yousu thought, frowning in frustration and trying to remember. The memory flickered in her subconsciousness, just beyond her grasp – and with it, the face which looked so much like Kagome's…

…And then came the feeling of dark hatred…

"Yousu? Dear, are you feeling well?"

The girl looked up at the figure standing in front of her – Ms Higurashi. Yousu realized that her body was shaking uncontrollably, her face damp with sweat. Taking a deep breath as Sota rushed back through the door with a torch she smiled in reassurance.

"Jus' worried 'bout Kagome, ma'am," Yousu told her before attempting to busy herself in the task of looking for her friend.

Even though she knew that all their efforts would be in vain.

.oOo.

After half an hour of increasingly frenzied searching, the family gave up. Sota was now worried to tears, and Yousu had become so paranoid that she had taken to jumping nervously at every little sound that was made.

Kagome's mother was calling the police as Grandpa paced the hall and Yousu tried unsuccessfully to calm her distraught step-brother.

"Sota, it'll be okay," the girl said soothingly, her violet eyes lit with concern for the boy. "Everythin'll be fine. Ye'll see."

He just continued to cry into her school shirt, making it wet with his tears. They had both been excused from school for the day – Yousu allowed herself a small moment of joy before burying herself in the seriousness of the situation once again.

"She turned fifteen today, Officer," her adopted mother was telling the handset of the telephone. "She just disappeared without a trace – not even a note…yes, I'm aware of the possibility that she could have run away, but I assure you…"

Yousu tuned out the sound of her conversation, annoyed that anyone would suggest that Kagome would run away. That created the possibility that her family wasn't nice to her, and Yousu didn't think she had known anyone kinder than Ms Higurashi. Instead, the girl focused on comforting Sota as well as how to find Kagome.

_The _worst_ thing ta do would be ta follow her down the well,_ she concluded. _'Cause whatever the thing was tha' took her might get me too…an' mayhap Sota as well…_

Yousu tightened her arms around the boy unconsciously – it offered more protection that way, as well as comfort.

"Demon!" Grandpa shouted suddenly, snapping Yousu out of her thoughts. "Demoness Yousu!"

The girl sighed. "What is it, sir?"

"You have played a nasty trick by spiriting away my granddaughter from me!" the old man declared loudly. "You brought us ill luck by your presence in our home! Your exorcism must be carried out swiftly and –"

"Do it then."

Grandpa hesitated. "I beg your pardon?"

Yousu lifted Sota off her lap and carefully placed him against the wall before turning to face his grandfather.

"Me exorcism. If ye exorcise me then Kagome'll come back, right?" she asked quietly, standing before him. "An' I wan' her ta come back. So do it."

"Very well, demon – you have sealed your fate!" the old man proclaimed, rummaging through his pockets. Sota's wails had choked back into muffled sobs as he watched his determined step-sister standing there as his grandfather quickly lit purifying incense.

"Do you have to do that in the house, Grandpa?" Kagome's mum called from the other room where she had taken the phone for some quiet time while being questioned.

"The demon will be exorcised!"

"If you say so…" the woman agreed faintly. Yousu breathed in the fresh scent which was meant to ward off demons.

It did nothing but clear her head, calming her thoughts and relaxing her mind.

Finally, after much muttering and grumbling, Grandpa stood in front of the girl and raised the hastily scrawled sutras.

"Brace yourself, demoness!" he cried, placing the paper on her forehead. He closed his eyes. "Evil…begone!"

There was a pause after which the old man hesitantly cracked one eye open.

Yousu still stood before him, beginning to smile gently. Her purple eyes never wavered from his gaze.

"Evil…begone!"

Yousu tried to muffle a giggle. It came out as a snort of laughter.

"Begone! Leave this place! I command you! Begone!"

Yousu couldn't stand it any longer – her carefully held-in laughter burst out of her uncontrollably.

"You…didn't feel anything?" Grandpa asked hesitantly.

"Nothin'!" Yousu giggled. "A bit tingly on me head but that's about it."

"Nothing at all? Not even the slightest bit less evil?"

"I don' think I was evil ta begin with."

Sota, too, began to smile. "She's not a demon, Grandpa."

"It seems you are correct," the old man finally sighed. "The girl must be who she says she is – Yousu. Yousu Higurashi."

"I ain't a Higurashi, sir," Yousu assured him hastily.

"Of course you are, my dear! Why else would you be living under this roof?" he asked incredulously.

"We adopted her Grandpa. I thought you'd realized that by now," Sota told him, puzzled.

"Ah! Adopted! That brings in a whole new range of demons! I shall get to protecting this family right away!"

The old man hobbled off muttering about spectres, sacred spells and sake. Yousu sighed, sitting down beside Sota.

"Ye know what?" she asked. Her step-brother shook his head. "Even though it might've 'elped Kagome come back, I'm glad tha's over."

"But now he's off doing…doing Grandpa stuff again!" Sota protested.

"If it's anythin' I learned from me short time here, it's tha' Grandpa will always be Grandpa," Yousu said to him. "I'm sure he'll get used ta me later on."

In the other room, her adopted mother smiled knowingly.

"Now, if ye'll excuse me," Yousu told Sota as she headed towards the front door of the house. "There's somethin' about tha' well…"

"You remember something?" the boy asked excitedly. "Something that'll help find Kagome?"

"Not exactly…" his step-sister replied vaguely. "It might, though, so I ain't gonna miss this chance."

.oOo.

"Do you think the girl is well?"

"She seems fine, Grandpa. I'm sure she'll be okay."

Yousu listened vaguely to the conversation between her adopted mother and grandfather as they chatted while walking towards the building which housed the well. The violet-eyed girl was currently inside said building, sitting by the wooden box in the pit with her arms resting on the edge as she gazed into its shadowy depths.

_It's been two days already!_ Yousu thought as the lady and the old man entered. _Those police people've been here askin' questions o' all o' us tons o' times over...'specially me. I reckon me eyes freak a lot o' people out – purple mustn't be common here…_

"Here?" she muttered under her breath. "I'm talkin' like I came here from another world or somthin'…"

"All she does is mope around in here all day long!" Grandpa suddenly exclaimed from up on the platform on which he stood.

"Grandpa…" the mother said with a warning tone. "Don't be too harsh – for all we know this could've happened to her previously in her life. Just be patient."

"I'm fine, ma'am," Yousu sighed, standing up. "The old man's right – the well can wait… I jus' wish I knew somethin' that'd 'elp Kagome."

"Why don't you come back to the house and I'll fix you something to eat?" the woman said kindly. The girl hesitated before nodding slowly.

_I ain't slept the whole time she's been missin'. I've jus' sat there, _Yousu thought tiredly. _I'm too scared ta go after her – what if I disappear too? 'Sides, they told us we weren't supposed ta go in there at all._

But she was too concerned about Kagome to care about anything else anymore – even when Ayumi, Yuka and Eri had called she hadn't wanted to talk with them.

Something about the well seemed both familiar and sinister – that's why Yousu had stared at it for two full days, trying to remember anything she could. Sota and his mother worried about her actions, but Yousu assured them she wasn't worth being concerned about. Ms Higurashi was surprised at her words but still made sure to check on her every hour, even though the effort had become tiring at night. The mother had confirmed with the hospital that the staring might be an after-effect of the amnesia, and possibly the hopefully temporary loss of her adopted sister.

But thankfully the girl had finally given in and was now walking to the house beside her adopted mother and grandfather. Unfortunately, it was without any sign of a remedy for her memory loss.

"Yousu! You're okay!"

The girl looked up to see Sota racing towards her, looking relieved.

"'Course I'm okay!" the girl smiled. Like herself, the boy had been allowed to remain home from school for a few days. "Jus' a little…tired…"

She suddenly tensed, her purple eyes narrowing. She spun back around to face the well and growled like a crazed animal.

"Yousu?" Sota asked fearfully.

A wind picked up, twisting through the girl's black hair – the Sun's light began to cast an eerie glow upon her features and she became a terrifying, inhuman image. As the sound she made rose from a growl into a spitting hiss her companions backed away with their eyes filled with fear. It might have been a trick of the light but her bared teeth seemed to become sharp, pointed fangs – her eyes also seemed to shine from within.

The moment passed as abruptly as it had begun, leaving three shocked Higurashis and an equally dumbfounded Yousu in its wake.

Sota's nervous intake of breath finally broke the strained silence.

"Mum, I think Yousu woke up on the wrong side of the bed," her told his mother quietly. He sneaked around so she stood between him and Yousu.

"She hasn't slept in days, dear – I think she's in great need of a rest," the woman answered him just as quietly.

As Yousu slowly came out of her daze and noted the fear in the boy's face, the uncertainty in his mother's and the shocked expression of the old man her eyes prickled with tears.

"I've scared ye – I'm sorry…" she said helplessly, trying to keep herself from crying. "It's jus' tha'… Kagome… an'…an' I ain't able ta…remember… I'm so useless!" she cried out suddenly, turning away from the other three. She crouched down on the ground and wrapped her hands around her knees, silently sobbing into her skirt.

_I reckon they think it's a huge mistake, lettin' me outa the hospital so soon…_ Yousu thought sadly. _I bet they're gonna call 'em right now an' take me back there fer more 'orrible tests! I wish Kagome was here…_

Grandpa stood behind her looking perplexed. Without a word of explanation, Ms Higurashi headed off towards the house; Yousu listened to the rhythm of her footsteps walking away. Silently, she waited for something to happen to her. For some reason the memory of a stinging slap flashed through her mind – so when a shadow fell across her face she cringed, bracing herself for the force of the blow.

None came.

A small hand patted her shoulder awkwardly. The girl looked up to see Sota standing before her looking concerned.

"You need to sleep."

Yousu wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I know."

"When Kagome gets stressed about school, mum always makes her a hot bath – I bet that's what she's doing now!" the boy told her, trying his best to be cheerful.

"She… She ain't gonna take me back ta the hospital?" Yousu asked in a small voice.

"Why would she do that?" Sota asked, confused. His adopted sister shrugged, sniffing back her tears.

"But… I thought ye'd all wanna send me away after…whatever I jus' did…" Yousu turned towards the house as she heard a call.

"I'm done, Sota! Bring Yousu in for a nice relaxing bath! And while she's in there you can help me prepare a meal!"

Grandpa cleared his throat. "I believe Asami just answered your question, Yousu."

Sota grabbed the girl's arm and began to lead her towards the house like a lost puppy. Hearing a wet sob, he stopped and looked around at her, readying words of comfort.

He needn't have worried, because his new sister wasn't crying tears of sadness.

In fact, Yousu was smiling.

**Okay, before anyone gets confused, Asami is what I have decided to name Kagome's mother since I can't find her name ANYWHERE! (Thanks to sangoscourage for it, by the way :) ) It means 'Morning Beauty'.**

**And I'm afraid that this chappie might be a bit confusing…so I'm sorry if it is. It's only supposed to be a filler while Kagome's away anyway, with stuff that had to happen while she was gone (like the 'exorcism'). Basically it's showing Yousu's uncertainties and a weird moment when she went wild which will be explained later :) And I'm tired, so I apologise for any mistakes in this weird chapter, okay? **

**And the review incentive… A MINI-INUYASHA! Like… when he was a kid – all cute and stuff! YAY:) I'll look forward to hearing from you all! Thanks for reading! **

**Víra :)**


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